Method of wall construction



Aug. 25, 1942'. w. s. MILES nap mm 0? WALL consmuc'no'n mar-kw; 26. 19462 Sheets-$11001. 1

INVENTOR /AM 6 M455 in PA 4/4 M1515, 1:94.2- I v w. s. MILES METHOD 6FWALL CONSTRUCTION,

Filed Nov. 26. 1940 ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1441.444, .5. MzesAUI. 1 01 W Edd ORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1942 METHOD OF WALL CONSTRUCTIONWilliam S. Miles, Hastings on Hudson, and Paul A. Voigt, BelleroseManor, N. Y., assignors to Johns-Manville Corporation, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application November 26, 1940, Serial No.367,198

9 Claims.

Our present invention relates to building c'onstructions, and moreparticularly, to an improved method of erecting a relatively low-costbuilding wall or partition. It will be understood that the terms walland partition are employed herein in a generic sense to denote sidewalls and walls such as roofs, ceilings, and the like.

An object of the instant invention is the provision of an improvedmethod of erecting a wall or partition structure comprising a sheathinglayer applied to studs, rafters, or the like, and a covering of facingelements, such as shingles or siding strips in the case of an exteriorwall, or panels or the like in the case of an interior wall. A principalobject is the provision of such method which will permit the use of asheathing material which has low nail-holding properties, that is,which, per se, will not permanently hold .the nails driven into it forsecuring the facing elements, for example, a sheathing material such inthe usual manner, and the nails or other fas tening means securedagainst withdrawal in a rapid, simple operation which in no wayinterferes with or interrupts the continued laying of the shingles.

'Our invention will be more fully understood and further objects andadvantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to themore detailed description thereof which is to follow and to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a face elevational view, with parts broken away, of a portionof a wall constructed in accordance with the instant method;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the wall shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fastening element for use in theinstant invention;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2 and illustrating one stage of the operation of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating a further stage in theoperation;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 6-5 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fastener applying device of theinstant invention; and

Fig, 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating a modification of theinvention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, thereis shown a wall structure which, for the purposes or illustration,comprises an exterior vertical wall. However, as will be understood, theinvention is equally applicable to roof walls and to interior walls ofvarious types. The wall includes shingles Ill of any suitable kind, forexample, asbestos-cement shingles, laid over sheathing l2, which hasbeen secured to studding M. The studding may be the usual woodenmembers, or, if desired, steel channels may be employed, provided withwooden strips to which the sheathing is nailed. Alternatively, clips maybe employed for securing the sheathing to the studding.

In accordance with the invention, sheathing l2 comprises a material suchas fibre board, plaster board, or the like, which, though readilyadapted to receive the shingle securing-nails, does not have sufficientnail-holding properties to permanently retain them. In the presentmethod, the sheathing I2 is secured to the studs, as previously stated,by clips, nails, or the like, and shingles ID are laid in the samemanner as over a wooden sheathing. That is, the shingles are laid incourses in the conventional way and secured by a plurality of headednails l6 driven through the shingles, preformed perforations beingprovided when hard materials such as as- 30 bestos-cement shingles areused, and into the sheathing therebehind. Nails I6 are preferably of thebarbed shank type now conventionally used for asbestos-cement shingles.However, any suitable type of barbed fastener may be used, for example,threaded members such as.bolts or screws, the threads constituting thebarbs required fora purpose later explained. The term barbed fastener isemployed herein in a sense to include all such devices.

application of the shingles, the shingle securing nails are permanentlyfixed against withdrawal from the sheathing by an operation comprisingthe assembly of a nut or clip l8 (see particularly Fig. 3) withprotruding shanks of nails I6 and the forcing of the nut into engagementwith.

the rear of the sheathing with simultaneous application of a pullingforce on the nail to draw Centrally of the bowed portion 20, nut I8 iscut Coincidentally with, or subsequently to, theas shown at 24 toprovide an aperture for the reception of the nail shank and springtongues 26 for interlocking engagement behind the barbs of the barbedfastener.

The application of the-nuts l8 and the drawing of the nail heads tightlyagainst the shingles.

are performed in .a single operation, through the use of a device 30,the operation of which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 4-7, inclusive.Tool 36 includes a jaw 32-comprising a claw 34 defined by inclined sidewalls (see Fig. 4) to grip the shank of a nail l6 beneath a barb thereonto hold the same firmly against withdrawal movement. Tool 30 alsoincludes a forked jaw 36 including extending tines 38. The tinesarepreferably shaped as illustrated particularly in Fig. '7 to permit forceto be applied on the nut adjacent the nail shank, while allowingsufficient clearance to prevent interference with the operation oftongues 26.. Jaws 32 and 36 are carried by members 40 and 42respectively, which terminate in grips 44 to permit the handling thereofin the manner of a conventional pair of pliers. Members .40 and 42 arepivoted on each other as by pintle 46, and suitably a spring 48 may beprovided to return the jaws after closin of the same to an openposition.

In theoperation of device 30, after one of the nuts or clips l8 has beenslipped over a nail l6 projecting through the rear of the sheathing,claw 34 is inserted on the nail adjacent the sheathing until a firm gripon the barbed shank of the nail is obtained (see Figs. 4 and 6). Thegrips 44 of the tool are then pressed toward each other, with the resultthat upper jaw 36 moves into contact with nut l8, and upon continuedmovement nut I8 is forced downwardly until its flanges 22 are pressedagainst the sheathing under the spring action of the bowed portion ofthe nut and tongues 26 are engaged beneath av barb to retain the nut inthis position. As will be readily understood, during this operation notonly is the nut I8 forced against the sheathing as previously described,but also, the nail is drawn through the sheathing and Shingle as far asits head will permit. The operation is continued until each protrudingnail shank is provided with its nut or clip l8. 4

Although, as has been pointed out above, nails or other fasteners withbarbed shanks are preferred as a more positive holding action on thenail is thus obtained, nails with smooth shanks may also be employed. Inthis case the claw 34 of sheet metal 52, may be employed to secure thenail. Member 52, however, has slots to define tongues 26, similarly asin the case of the nut [8. Nut I8 or member 52, as, the case may be, isfirst applied over the extending shank of the nail l6 and a device 54employed, including jaws similar to those of the device 30, butreversedin position and so pivoted that movement of the grips towardeach other separates the jaws. Thus, jaw 56 includes a claw of the typeof the claw 34 of jaw 32 of the device 30, and jaw 58 comprises a forkedmembersimilarly as jaw 36 of the device 30. In the operation of tool 54,claw 66 is firmly engaged with a nail to hold it against withdrawal, andjaw 58 is. moved downwardly to press nut 52 against the sheathing withits tongues 26 interlocking beneath a barb -of the nail l6.

In both of the nut applying tools illustrated the jaws are supported bylever members pivoted on each other as this construction has been foundmost practical. However, it will be understood that other mechanicalmeans may be employed for supporting the jaws for movement in the mannerdescribed without departing from the scope of the invention. Y

Having thus described our invention in rather full detail, it will-beunderstood by those skilled in the art that'these details need not bestrictly adhered to, but, that various changes and modifications willsuggest themselves without departing from the scope of our invention asdefined by- 1 the subjoined claims.

fastenerthrough the elements and sheathing to extend a substantialdistance therebeyond, ap-

plying force to the extending shank" of the fastener to draw saidelements into tight engagement with said sheathing, and simultaneouslyforcing a locking member-against said sheathing and into interlockingengagement 1 with said shank.

2. .A method of erecting a partition comprising applying sheathinghaving low nail-holding properties to spaced supporting members, layingfacing elements on the sheathing, driving headed fasteners includingbarbed shanks through the elements and sheathing to extend a substantialdistance therebeyond, placing on each of said shanks a locking memberincluding locking lips for cooperation with the barbs of said shank, andsubstantially simultaneously drawing the head of said fastener and theelement into firm engagement, and forcing the locking member against theback of said partition with the locking lips engaging said barbs.

, 3. A method of erecting a partition comprising applying sheathinghaving low nail-holding.

properties to spaced supporting members, laying facing elements on thesheathing, driving headed fasteners through the elements and sheathingto extend a substantial distance therebeyond} placing on each oftheshanks of said fasteners a locking member, including locking lips forcooperation with said shank, gripping said extending shank to preventwithdrawing movement thereof, and simultaneously forcing said lockingmember into engagement with said partition with the locking lipsengaging said shank.

4. A method of erecting a partition comprising applying sheathing havinglow nail-holding properties to spaced supporting members, laying facingelements on the sheathing', driving a headed fastener including a barbedshank through the elements and sheathing to extend a substantialdistance therebeyond, placing on. said shank a bowed spring lockingmember, in-

said partition.

yond, placing on said shank a bowed spring locking member includinglocking lips for cooperation with the barbs of said shank, inserting aclaw of a locking member applying means-in gripping locking lips forcooperation with the barbs ofsaid shank, gripping said extending shankat a point remote from said partition to prevent withdrawing movementthereof, and simultaneously forcing said locking member into engagementwith said partition with the locking lips engaging said barbs. r

6. A method" of erecting a partition comprising applying sheathinghaving low nail-holding properties to spaced supporting members, layingfacing elements on the sheathing, driving a headed fastener including abarbed shank through the elements and sheathing to extend a substantialdistance therebeyond, placing on said shank a locking member includinglocking lips for cooperation with the barbs of said shank, inserting aclaw of a locking member applying means in gripping engagement with saidextending shank, placing a forked jaw of said means against said lockingmember, and manipulating said jaws to simultaneously draw the head ofsaid fastener into firm engagement with said element and to force saidlocking member against 7. A method of erecting a wall comprisingapplying fibre board sheathing to spaced supporting members; layingrelatively rigid facing elements on the sheathing, driving a nailincluding a barbed shank through the' element and sheathing to extend asubstantial distance therebeengagement with said extending shank,placing a forked jaw of said means against said locking member, andmanipulating said jaw and claw to simultaneously draw the head of saidnail into firm engagement with said element and to force laying facingelements on a sheathing having low nail-holding properties, driving aheaded fastener including a barbed shank through the elements andsheathing to extend a substantial distance therebeyond, placing on saidshank a bowed spring locking member, including locking lips forcooperation with the barbs of said shank, gripping said extending shank'at a point remote' from said partition to prevent withdrawing movementthereof, and simultaneously forcing said locking member into engagementwith said partition with the locking lips engaging said barbs. a

WILLIAM S. MILES. PAUL A. VOIGT.

